The Story of Cholera—essential for hygiene promotion in Lebanese refugee settlements

The Story of Cholera—essential for hygiene promotion in Lebanese refugee settlementsPeter Cardellichio2014-06-20T16:54:37+00:00

Challenging conditions in crowded refugee settlements in Lebanon require increased awareness and education on hygiene and the prevention of waterborne illnesses. For Solidarités International, who is working to improve living conditions for Syrian refugees, The Story of Cholera is now an essential part of this effort.

“The Story of Cholera has become an essential part of our hygiene promotion activities in Lebanon,” says Miguel d’Arcangues, Solidarités International’s WaSH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) and Shelter Coordinator. “Since March 2014, we have held 50 screenings in high-density refugee settlements … Although the showings were initially aimed at children, we found that the film appealed to adults, too. So far, over 1,150 people have seen the movie, and the response has been overwhelmingly positive.”

“The Story of Cholera is one of the most effective tools we have,” agrees one member of Solidarités International’s hygiene promotion team. “It really reflects the issues people face in their day-to-day lives. And this makes it easier to retain what they see in the movie.”

After receiving positive feedback on field-tests among the Syrian community, the Solidarités International Lebanon team arranged for the script to be translated and narrated into Arabic. In addition to Solidarités International, the video is now used for hygiene promotion by UNICEF and other humanitarian organizations working in Lebanon.